Time gas-valve-controlling mechanism.



PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

I. GUNNING.

TIME GAS VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I a I l PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

J. GUNNING. TIME GAS VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENIOIR Wu-Masses N0- 829,269. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. J. GUNNING.

TIME GAS VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

' APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 2, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GUNNING, OF .BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND. TIME GAS-VALVE-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

No. seaaee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21', 1906.

Application filed JImaZ, 1904. Serial No. 210,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN GUNNING, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 100 Holdenhurst road, Bournemouth, in the county of Hants, England, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Opening and Closing Taps or the Like at Predetermined Times, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain, dated the 28th day of April,

. 1904, No. 9,764,) of which the following-is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism by means of which a definite movement can be automatically communicated to a movable piece of apparatus at predetermined times as, for example, the movement required to open and close gas or water taps or electric switches or the like.

It is not usually possible to 0 crate heavy taps or switches by means 0' the timing mechanism hitherto employed, and it is also frequently advisable, particularly in the case of electric switches, to turn the tap'or switch quickly from the closed to the open position and conversely, thereby avoiding in the case cited destructive arcing between the two parts of the switch. This cannot possibly-be done when the switch is actuated directly, as has commonly been done, by means of tappets on a slow-moving arbor of a clock. I

In the present inventionprovision ismade for 0 erating heavy switches or taps and also of the switch or ta for t e instantaneous movement of switches or taps from one position to the other, and for this purpose a driving-motor, preferably a coiled spring, is inter osed between the timing mechanism and t eswitch or tap and is connected with the latter in such a manner that while the switch is compelled to move with the motor in one direction it does not turn with it in the opposite direction. The motor is released at predetermined times by means of tappets on the timing mechanism and the extent of its movement at each release limited by means of stops to the extent necessary to produce the required movement The invention irther consists in the particular devices by which these objects are effected, as will be hereinafter described, reierence being had to the accompanying drawings, of which-- Figurelis a front elevation, and Fig. showing the application of the mec the case of an electric switch which can be suc- 2 a plan, anism to The tappets a b and the timing-dial c are.

looselymounted on the main arbor d of a clock d and are arranged to be clamped in any required angular positions with respect to each other and to a driving-disk 6, fixed on the main arbor. In the res ective paths of the tappets a b are a pair of levers f g, inde pendently pivoted on the frame it of the apparatus and normally urged by the springsf g, respectively, to bear on a-boss fixed on the motor-spindle 'i. These levers are res ectively provided with safety-catches 7c Z, w ich are normally ur ed, by means of springs k l, to engage over the catch-bar m.

The motor is preferably a simple clock spring 11. of size sufiicient' to do the work 'required -oi it, which is set by winding it on the spindle t. On the s indie-boss are two pairs of stops, one pair ofw ich, 0 0, are arranged to encounter the end-of leverf, while the other air p p are arranged to encounter the end or ever g, the two pairs of stops being respectively placed at the ends of a pair of orthogonal diameters.

The spindle "L is connected, through the ratchet g and pawl q, with a disk 9", from which depend a pair of rods 8, connected at their lower ends by a bar 8, to which is secured in any suitable manner, but so as to be in alinement with the spindle i, the spindle i: of a rotary switch consisting of a switch-arm t, which by being moved through ninety degrees can be brought into or out of contact with the contact-pieces u u, so as respectively to close or open the circuit with which the contacts are connected. The spindle of the switch is connected with the bar 8' in such angular position that the switch is in the 50 a spring-urged dog or detent r engages to prevent rotation of the disk and its attachments in the reverse direction when the spindle 'L is turned to wind the s ring a.

The tappets and timing-dial are preferably secured to the driving-disk e in the following manner. Pins a b, secured, preferably, by screwing in the tappets a b, respectively, project through annular slots c in the timing-dial c, struck from the center of the arbor, and are provided with collars 0. N, which engage over the edges of the slots. A set-pin e, which is screwed into the dial 0 and against the driving-disk e, by separating the dial from the disk and forcing it against the collars a b of the tappets thereby frictionally secures the tappets and dial to the driving-disk in any position in which they may be set.

When the apparatus is in the condition shown in'Fig. 1 and the tappets are moved by the clockwork in the direction of the arrow, the tap et 1) will first encounter the safety-catch and free it from the catch-bar m, thus unlocking the lever g, which is then displaced by thetappet, so as to withdraw its end from engagement with the stop and allow the spindle t to be instantaneously rotated by the spring it until the stop 0 encounters the end of the lever fthat is, it is rotated through a quarter-turn and the switch springs; but obviously the springs may be arrested in the closed ositionl Further movement of the tappetb clears the tails of the lever g and its safety-catch Z and allows them to be returned to their normal positions by means of their respective return-springs. The lever f is prevented 'from jumping or yieldin to the shock of'tlie impact of the stop. 0 From the fact that it locked by means of its safety-catch, and it remains so locked until its safety-catch has in turn beenv dis.

placed by the tappet a. Fi 3 shows the le ver 9 tripped by the tappetl; and the switch arrested in the closed position.

In the apparatus as herein described the levers and their safety-catches are urged to their normalor locking positions by means of dispensed with in cases in which the apparatus can be fixed permanently in such a position that the levers and catches, preferably weighted for the purpose, may be normally held in their locking positions by gravity, and similarly other mechanical modifications may be introduced into the apparatus Without departing from the present invention.

Having thus described the nature of my ceases said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1. Apparatus for communicating angular movement to a movable piece at predetermined times comprising a driving-motor, a ratchet-and-pawl connection between the movable piece and the driving-motor, a pair of pivoted levers alternately acting as detents to lock the driving-motor, and means for successively tripping said detents at predetermined times to release the driving-motor; substantially as described.

2. Apparatus for communicating angular movement to amovable piece at predetermined times comprising a driving-motor, a ratchet-and-pawl connection between the movable piece and the said motor, a pair of pivoted levers alternately acting as detents to lock the driving-motor, means for successively tripping said detents at predeterrnmed times to release the drivingunotor, and safety-catches adapted to maintain said detents in operative position; substantially as described.

3. In mechanism for opening and closing electric switches at predetermined times in which the timing mechanism and the opening and closing mechanism are actuated by independent motors, a pair of pivoted levers arranged to act alternately as stops to arrest the switch at the open and closed positions respectively, means for successively tripping said levers at predetermined times to release the switch-actuating mechanism, and safetycatches adapted to prevent the said levers from being tripped until the safety-catch has been displaced and to secure the said levers when acting as steps against displacement by shock; substantially as described.

4. In timing mechanism for opening and closing electric switches such as herein described,-a timing-clockwork, timing-tappcts and a timing-dial mountedcoaxially with the main arbor of the timing-clockwork and independently adjustable with respect thereto, a driving-disk secured on said arbor, and means for simultaneously clamping said timing dial and tappets to each other and to the driving-disk; substantially as described.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- JOHN GUNNING. Witnesses:

E. T. GAZE, GERALD A. Moonrne Annninen. 

